Obliveon

Quebec’s Obliveon have always been under-appreciated in the Canadian metal scene but with these reissues of the band’s studio releases, hopefully they can finally get the respect they deserve. From This Day Forward (1990) was the band’s debut, and it shows, in all the best ways — youthful energy and an embracing of all that was good about first-generation thrash abounds. On Nemesis (1993), the band took that thrash sound and expanded on their progressive elements, slowing things down a bit; it was a success. Cybervoid (1995) found Obliveon simplifying a bit, and while keeping the Voivod-esque qualities (particularly in the riffs) they definitely were going for that almost industrial feel. But it’s not cheesy; and songs like the title track are heavy and catchy. With Carnivore Mothermouth, the band fully embraced the Fear Factory-worship they’d been toying with for awhile. It works and stands up surprisingly well, the title track in particular being wildly memorable. (It’s been stuck in my head on and off for eight years.) The production sounds great and while diehard thrashers may not have liked the direction the band went in their later years, it holds up as an honourable way to end it all. The reissues don’t offer anything in the way of bonus tracks or liner notes, instead just letting the original releases speak for themselves, which they do just fine.